Elevator systems include a variety of components to ensure that the system works as intended. Some type of guide arrangement is associated with the elevator car and counterweight to guide movement of the car and counterweight along guiderails. Many elevator guide arrangements include rollers that roll along surfaces on the guiderail as the elevator car moves up and down. Other guide assemblies include sliding elements that slide along surfaces of the guiderail.
There are known reasons for selecting rollers or sliding elements for elevator guides. Sliding guide elements are typically selected for installations that include space constraints because guides including rollers typically occupy more space. Sliding guide elements are sometimes preferred because they typically cost less than roller guides. Guide assemblies including rollers are typically selected for higher speed elevators. Another reason to select roller guides is to provide higher ride quality levels. Roller guides also reduce energy consumption because they have reduced frictional losses compared to sliding guide elements.
Elevator system and component designers have been facing the ongoing challenges of reducing costs of elevator systems and fitting elevator system components within tighter space constraints. In many circumstances, these objectives can be considered incompatible and unattainable without significant innovation.